Can-top dropper.



G. E. FORRY.

CAN TOP DBOPPBR.

APPLICATION FILED 1:20.15. 1912.

1,128,967. Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

WITNESSES INVENTOR C??? BY diamai z,

1 ATTORNEY "ll Roll PITIII 6b., IIAlmNmm-B- CHARLES E. FORRY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CAN-TOP DROPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16,1915.

Application filed December 16, 1912. Serial No. 736,973.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gl-IARLES E. FORRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Can-Top Droppers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple. economical and eilicient device for dropping can tops one at a time and delivering them to any suitable feeder for feeding them mechanically to a. can topping machine, or the like.

In the :u-companying drawing, Figure l is a plan view of the device; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a suitable base formed with a central cylindrical aperture 2, through which can tops 3 fall on to a suitable feeder, not shown, for feeding the same to a can-topping machine or the. like. On said base, closely surrounding said apertures, are erected four posts 4, forming a guide or chute for the can tops. In said base are formed diametrically opposite extensions 6 of said central aperture 2, and in said extensions are located vertical ratchet wheels T, mounted upon horizontal shafts 8, extending through hearings in said base. the inner or opposing edges of said ratchet wheels extending sufficiently far within said central aperture 2 that can tops, guided by said posts and falling into said aperture, are arrested by reason of their edges at opposite points meeting said ratchet wheels. To feed said can tops downward one at a time at regular intervals there is provided a horizontal shaft 9, preferably driven by mechanism, not shown, in unison with the can-topping machine, and rotating in a bearing 11, secured, as shown at 12. to the base 1 said shaft having secured thereon, adjacent to the ends of said bearing. right and left-handed worms 13, which mesh with worm wheels 14 upon the ends of said shafts 8.

The following is the mode of operation of the device. Since the worm wheels are right and left-handed respectively, the

ratchet wheels rotate in opposite directions, that is, their upper surfaces move toward each other. The teeth of the ratchet wheels are spaced at such distance apart relative to the vertical space which each can top occupies in the pile, that, as the can tops are supported in a pile upon said teeth, two teeth, of the two ratchet wheels respectively, enter or pass between the edges of the two adjacent can tops of the pile at points diametrically opposite from each other, so that, as the ratchet wheels rotate, and their inner edges move downward, each of the lower can tops is separately supported by two teeth, one on each of the ratchet wheels. When the lowermost can top of the pile has traveled downward, with the teeth of the ratchet wheels to such a position that the teeth heretofore supporting said can top become disengaged therefrom, said can top drops, and is then fed by a feeder, not shown, to the can topping machine. This dropping of the can top is uniform in time, and is regulated by the speed of the cantopping machine.

It is understood that by the arrangement described the toothed wheels 7 not only support the stack of can tops but separate the lOWQl'li'lOSt can tops and drop the same intermittently.

I claim 1. In a can top feeding device, a vertical guide open at the lower end and adapted to contain a stack of can tops, vertically-disposed toothed wheels, and means for rotating the same in unison and in opposite directions, the teeth of the said wheels being arranged to act in pairs, one pair of teeth forming a stack-supporting device and exi tending under the lowermost can top, the next pair of teeth above the said supporting device forming a separating device and being adapted to pass between the lowermost can top and the next following one to separate the said can tops and the next pair of teeth below the said supporting device forming a carrying and dropping device for -arr ving a separated can top downward and ultimately dropping it on the teeth of the said pair of carrying and dropping teeth re-- cedin from the carried can top.

K in a can top feeding device, a vertical guide open at the lower end and adapted to contain a stack of can tops, vertically-disposed toothed wheels, and means for rotating the same in unison and in opposite directions, the said wheels being located on opposite sides of the said guide immediately below the bottom thereof, a pair of oppositely-disposed teeth of the said wheels projecting under the lowermost can top of the stack to support the latter, the next pair wardly to finally drop the' same as the said last-mentioned set of teeth recedes from the separated can top.

3. In a can top feeding device the combination of a base having an opening for the assage of the can tops and havin oppositely-disposed recesses leading to the said openiug, a guide rising from the said base and adapted to contain a stack of can tops directly above the said base opening, the bottom of the guide being open and in register with the said opening, and vertically disposed toothed wheels arranged in the said recesses and having their teeth projecting into the said base opening, the teeth of the wheels being pointed and spaced apart to pass between the bottom can tops to'separate the same, to carry the separated can tops downward and to allow the. can tops to intermittently drop oh the teeth as the latter rcccde into the recesses, and means for rotating the said wheels in unison and in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 3 my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. FORRY. Witnesses:

Fnaxcis M. Wmon'r,

D. B. Rwnaaos.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

